Thymoquinone suppressses in vitro production of IL-5 and IL-13 by mast cells in response to lipopolysaccharide stimulation

Activated mast cells produce Th2 cytokines that regulate allergic inflammation. We have previously shown that thymoquinone (TQ) attenuated airway inflammation in a mouse model of allergic airway inflammation. The present study investigated whether TQ affects Th2 cytokine response in vitro in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated rat mast cells, RBL-2H3. RBL-2H3 cells were stimulated for 12 h with 0.1 mu g/ml LPS in the presence or absence of 10 mu M TQ. Th2 cytokine production was measured in the culture supernatants by ELISA. The mRNA expression of IL-5, IL- 13 and GATA transcription factors was determined by RT-PCR. The expression of the transcription proteins c-Fos, c- Jun and phospho-c-Jun were determined by western blotting. The in vivo binding of GATA, AP-1 and NF-AT transcription factors to IL-5 promoter was assessed by chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis. TQ significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited LPS-induced IL-5 and IL-13 mRNA expression and protein production. However, TQ did not affect IL-10 production. GATA transcription factors are involved in the transcription of IL-5 and IL-13. TQ had no effect on the expression of AP-1 protein subunits, c-Jun and c-Fos, but markedly reduced the transcription of GATA-1 and -2 genes. Chromatin immunoprecipitation revealed that GATA, AP-1 and NF-AT binding to IL-5 promoter was induced by LPS stimulation and that TQ inhibited GATA binding at the IL-5 promoter but did not affect AP-1 and NF-AT binding. These results suggest that TQ inhibits LPS-induced proinflammatory cytokine production in RBL-2H3 cells by blocking GATA transcription factor expression and promoter binding which demonstrates the anti-inflammatory effect of TQ.